Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

________________________________ BUDGET
77 th Texas Legislature
Investment Advisory Board for the Comptroller of Public Accounts - S.B. 1547
by Senators Duncan and Lucio
House Sponsor: Representative McCall
Currently, the comptroller of public accounts (comptroller) has an informal, internal investment advisory
committee made up of senior executive staff.
Establishes an IAB to advise the comptroller regarding investments that the comptroller makes, not
including the deposit of state funds in a state depository.
Requires the comptroller to appoint to the IAB members who possess the expertise appropriate for
providing advice with regard to investments that the comptroller might make.
Emergency Appropriation - H.B. 1333
by Representative Junell
Senate Sponsor: Senator Ellis
Each legislative session, state agencies project the costs of fulfilling their functions and for providing
important services. The greater portion of the state's general revenue budget is based on projected public
school enrollment, caseloads in the Medicaid program, and the prison population. Actual caseloads in
Medicaid and the prison population have exceeded projections made during the 76th legislative session
and several other agencies need additional funding as well. H.B. 1333 transfers unencumbered amounts
to provide emergency appropriations to the Texas Department of Health (TDH), Texas Department of
Criminal Justice (TDCJ), the State Office of Risk Management (SORM), as well as other state agencies.
H.B. 1333 authorizes emergency appropriations and other actions for the following state programs:
• Appropriates $489,944,000 to TDH in fiscal year (FY) 2001 to provide Medicaid services, through
transfers of existing appropriation authority from other agencies and new appropriations from nontax
revenue. In addition to the funding provided by the bill, $105,343,000 in existing appropriation
authority would be transferred to TDH from other health and human services agencies by the
Commissioner of Health and Human Services, bringing the total amount of new 2001 TDH funding
to $595,287,000.
• Appropriates $109,300,000 to TDCJ for FY 2001, through transfers of existing appropriation
authority from other agencies and new appropriations from General Revenue-Dedicated accounts.
$29,819,000 is to provide additional prison capacity and for contracts with counties for additional
temporary capacity. $35,700,000 is for expenditures relating to correctional officer, sergeant, and
food service and laundry manager career ladder salary adjustments.
• Transfers $6,300,000 in appropriation authority from the Office of the Governor to SORM and
appropriates $6,700,000 in interest earnings to the State Office of Risk Management for higher
than anticipated workers' compensation claim payments in FY 2001.
• Transfers $600,000 in 2001 appropriation authority from the General Services Commission to the
Adjutant General's Department for utilities to pay utility costs.
Senate Research Center 30